Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva yesterday confirmed the cancellation of the November 14 general election as the red shirts had refused to disperse.
Abhisit said the red shirts were being unreasonable by demanding that the government interfere with legal proceedings related to the bloodshed, arguing that law should be allowed to run its course and that the guilty would be held accountable for their actions without any meddling of street justice.
He also promised that red shirts would be removed from the Rajprasong intersection, though he refused to say whether force would be used in dispersal tactics by Monday as speculated.
Measures to seal off Rajprasong were on track, he said, adding that once the red shirts were dispersed, he would then review the timing for fresh elections.
"The new election date would hinge on my assessment of the resumption of normalcy," he said.
In reaction to Abhisit's remarks, red-shirt leader Jatuporn Promphan said the prime minister would be seen as a cheat if he failed to honour his pledge on the poll date.
Jatuporn threatened to call for reinforcements of protesters and demanded Abhisit's resignation if the voting is postponed.
"Today the bulls ate grass in the Royal Ploughing Ceremony, but the water buffaloes are ready for blood," he said, alluding to the deprecating reference to the red shirts as buffaloes.
He wryly quipped that the intensified confrontation might be a blessing in disguise because the country would see Abhisit's departure sooner than anticipated.
Banned Thai Rak Thai executive Chaturon Chaisang also called for the prime minister to hold the elections as promised.
"Abhisit is about to make a gross mistake that he will regret for the rest of his life," Chaturon said, when arguing against the cancellation of the election date.
Talks and reconciliation are the only way to overcome the predicament, not the use of force, which proved to have failed in April 10, he said.
"I am deeply worried that the crisis will deepen due to the derailment of the reconciliation process," he said, adding that attempts by security forces to seal off Rajprasong would not succeed. He urged the government to comply with the demand to move legal proceedings against Suthep instead of trying to crackdown on the red shirts.